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Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Review: Camp Holiday Resort & Recreation Area in Samal Island

CAMP HOLIDAY RESORT & RECREATION AREA is one of the most popular resorts in the Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte. Situated only a few steps away from the Samal Ferry Wharf, the resort is often visited by Davaoeños and tourists alike as it is very accessible from Davao City proper. Aside from its beach area, swimming pools and hotel rooms, Camp Holiday also has its own restaurant, children playground and function halls. It occupies a wide area which makes it suitable for party events and corporate team building activities.My family recently spent a weekend at Camp Holiday and here's a photo narrative of our experience with the resort.How to Get ThereCamp Holiday Resort & Recreation Area is situated in Brgy. Kinawitnon, Babak District, Island Garden City of Samal. From Davao City proper, we took a taxi ride to Sasa Ferry Wharf and then boarded a ferry for a 10-minute ride to Samal Island. Boat fare is only P10.00 per person.

Approaching the Samal Ferry Wharf, Camp Holiday can already be seen at the left side of the wharf. Upon arrival, the resort is only a few steps away from the wharf area.

The resort has separate entrance for day tour and overnight guests and hotel guests.Entrance Fee:Day Tour: Adult- P100.00Child (6-12 years old) - P80.00Overnight:Adult- P200.00Child (6-12 years old) - P100.00Children with ages 5 years old and below are free of charge.Day tour entrance includes free use of the walk-in swimming pool, beach area, nipa huts, open cottages and seaside veranda.Camp Holiday Resort Accommodations and RatesWe booked a one-night stay in one of their 57 hotel rooms. The room has a regular rate of P1,800 (without breakfast) but I was able to get a discounted rate by booking it through Agoda and paid only P1,500++.

The room we got is very spacious. It has a king-size bed which fits me, my wife and 2 kids just right. The room is airconditioned, has its own toilet and bath, large closet, cable TV and a terrace. The downside, however, is that the room has no free wifi as it is only available at the reception area.

Camp Holiday Resort has two swimming pools, one for walk-in guests and another one exclusive for hotel guests. We did not check out the walk-in guests pool as we were told that it is currently closed for maintenance.

They also have a children playground and a very spacious restaurant.

The infinity pool is exlusive for hotel guests and overlooks the beach and the Davao Gulf. It is very picturesque especially during late afternoon. My kids enjoyed swimming here as it is not crowded.

With its lovely setting the infinity pool area is definitely the best spot for picture-taking inside Camp Holiday Resort.

The Beach

Camp Holiday has a short stretch of white sand beach and it is here where the walk-in guests mostly spent their time.

The area is cordoned with bouy and nets for safety of the guests.

There are also wooden floaters which are free to use.

The beach itself is nice. However, since it is very close to the wharf, I am not that sure of the cleanliness of the seawater.

But we observed many guest are enjoying their time here so we did not hesitated in going for a swim.

Overall these are pros and cons of Camp Holiday Resort and Recreation Area which we observed during our stay:Pros:1. Very convenient and accessible as it is only a few steps away from the wharf. There's also a convenience store adjacent to the resort if you need to buy some necessities. Also nearby is a habal-habal (passenger motorcycle) terminal for transportation to other spots in Samal.2. Room rates are quite affordable.3. The inifinity pool offers a lovely and relaxing view and is exclusive only for hotel guests.4. Spacious and comfortable room.5. Kids can enjoy the playground.Cons:1. Its location is also a disadvantage as the beach is very close to the wharf.2. Expect it to be crowded during long weekends and holidays. 3. No free wifi in the hotel rooms as it is only available in the reception area/lobby.4. We observed that water in the pool has high chlorine content. 5. Food choices in the restaurant are a bit expensive.6. When we checked in there, the resort was preparing to host a corporate team building event the following day. Late at night, the crew were still testing their sound equipment which produced a very loud sound. Worst, they did it again early morning which disturbed our sleep. CAMP HOLIDAY RESORT & RECREATION AREABrngy. Kinawitnon, Babak District, Island Garde City of Samal,Davao del NorteContact Numbers: (6382)273-3743; (6382) 284-7005Fax No. (6382) 226-3683Mobile Number: 09333096370